Jesus and The Mooch

 

"The Mooch"

“I will not leave you orphaned; 

I am coming to you"

(from John 14:15-21)

Have you ever experienced feelings of being lost or abandoned?

This is “The Mooch”

He earned that name after he appeared at the sliding door of our deck with a forlorn look.

Like many feral cats, we have no clue where he came from and how he happened to choose our deck.

So, being kind to cats, Elaine fed him.

From then on, we could count on his appearance.

Sometimes he would stay for an hour, sometimes he would stretch out and enjoy the sun most of the day.

His one rule was: don’t try to catch me.

One day he didn’t show up.

Then he didn’t show up for three days in a row and we concluded something happened to him or he simply decided to move on in search of another deck with a sliding door.

Once again, “The “Mooch” was on his own.

Jesus, though, made a promise to his disciples: he would not abandon them.

It’s hard to get through life without experiencing feeling lost or abandoned.

Certainly, Thomas and Philip had those feelings when Jesus talks about leaving his followers. (Jn 14:1-14).

Instead of leaving the disciples feeling abandoned, Jesus promised to return “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me.”

Jesus reminds the disciples and us, those who follow Jesus’ commands love him; they will be loved by my God, and I will love and reveal myself to them.

Knowing the Way

 Thomas said to him,

“Lord, we don’t know where you are going,

 so how can we know the way?”

(from John 14:1-14 )

  

As I write, it’s the celebration of Route 66’s 100th anniversary.

Founded on November 11, 1926, US 66 stretched 2,448 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica. During the 1930s Dust Bowl, it served as a key migration route and boosted local businesses. Signs and advertising from 1927 made travel easy.

Thomas's question to Jesus, “How can we know the way?” reflected his desire to better grasp Jesus’ teachings and understand how to follow them.

Just as travelers once relied on Route 66 to guide them west, we rely on spiritual guidance to navigate our own journeys—sometimes finding the path less clear as traditions change or challenges arise.

Upon reflection of my personal faith journey with Jesus, I have considered this question throughout my spiritual development and transitions between churches.

“How can we know the way?”

Initially, the solutions appear straightforward: examine the Scriptures and follow Jesus’ example in demonstrating love for God and others.

However, it becomes clear that the journey began when Thomas—and all of us—made the decision to follow Jesus.

Comprehending the Way is rooted in Jesus's promise to remain with Thomas—and all of us—when we place our trust in his word and sustain our relationship with God.

Recognizing the Way involves acting in alignment with God's intentions, motivating others to seek wisdom that transcends conventional traditions.

Route 66 ended in Santa Monica, but Knowing the Way continues eternally.